Chapter 721
The Han army has captured Huyang, what should we do?
Several days passed in the blink of an eye, and peace reigned in Pyeongchang.
Xiao He hosted a banquet in the main hall of the government office to reward the generals, soldiers, and staff.
The lobby was brightly lit, filled with the sounds of clinking glasses and a warm, inviting atmosphere.
Xiao He picked up his wine glass, took a small sip, and glanced at everyone, a hint of concern in his eyes:
"Four days have passed, and the situation at the front is unclear. I wonder how things are progressing in Huyang City."
Ma Su rose, cupped his hands in greeting, and calmly replied:
"Reporting to the Grand Marshal, the scouts sent back by General Gan the day before yesterday reported that the plan to cut off water and food supplies and to harass the enemy with fire was successfully completed the day before yesterday. The Liao army is already at its last gasp, and it is expected that Huyang City can be captured in the next two days."
"it is good!"
A smile suddenly appeared in Xiao He's eyes, and he immediately raised his glass in a gesture of respect:
"In that case, the day of victory is just around the corner. Gentlemen, let us drink to this cup!"
Everyone stood up, raised their glasses, and responded in unison:
"May the Grand Marshal achieve a resounding victory, and may the Han army triumph!"
The wine in the glass was drunk in one gulp, and laughter filled the hall.
The banquet lasted for an hour. Just as everyone was toasting each other, a hurried "Report!" came from outside the hall, breaking the noise inside.
Xiao He looked up and waved his hand, saying:
"Come in, what brings you here?"
A soldier strode into the hall, knelt on one knee, and respectfully reported:
"Reporting to the Grand Marshal, General Gan has returned and is currently waiting to be summoned outside the hall."
Xiao He was overjoyed and immediately stood up:
"Quickly, quickly call him in!"
"Here!"
The soldiers responded and withdrew.
Before long, Gan Ning strode into the hall, a smile on his face after a great victory.
Upon seeing Xiao He, Gan Ning clasped his hands in a fist and bowed, saying:
"This humble general, Gan Ning, greets the Grand Marshal!"
"No need for formalities, please rise."
Xiao He quickly raised his hand to signal, and asked urgently:
"Why have you returned at this time? Is Shi Zai still in Huyang City?"
Gan Ning stood up, his smile widening, and reported loudly:
"Reporting to the Grand Marshal, Huyang City has been successfully captured by our army. The Grand Marshal's strategic planning and brilliant tactics enabled our army to conquer the city without lifting a finger and achieve a great victory."
"Shi Zai stayed in Huyang to handle the post-war affairs and stabilize the city's defenses. He specially ordered me to return first to report the victory."
As soon as Gan Ning finished speaking, everyone in the tent clapped and cheered, their shouts shaking the tent flaps.
Xiao He raised his hand to signal for silence and said loudly:
"Someone, prepare a seat and bowls and chopsticks for General Gan."
Then it turned left and right:
"Pass down the order to hold a banquet tonight to reward the troops, and order all battalions to prepare for the march to Huyang at Chenshi (7-9 AM) tomorrow."
"Here!"
The orders were swiftly relayed to each camp.
Gan Ning sat down as instructed, and Xiao He rose, holding his cup, his gaze sweeping over everyone in the tent:
"This first toast is to the brave men who fought and bled on the front lines!"
"Homage to the mighty warriors of the Han Dynasty!"
Everyone raised their cups in unison, their voices echoing through the camp, and then drank them down in one gulp.
After finishing their drink, everyone surrounded Gan Ning, eagerly inquiring about the details of the battle at the front.
Gan Ning did not hide anything and recounted the entire war, including the beginning and end of the attack and defense, in detail.
Upon hearing this, everyone clapped their hands in admiration, praising Xiao He for his uncanny foresight.
Inside the tent, cups were sipped and drinks were exchanged. After several rounds of wine, the moonlight outside the window was already high in the sky.
Xiao He raised his hand and pressed down, signaling everyone to stop drinking:
"Gentlemen, it is late at night. Let's all return to our camps and rest. We will be stationed at Huyang tomorrow, so please make sure you are well-rested."
Everyone rose to take their leave, and the tent gradually returned to quiet.
...
The next day, at the crack of dawn, the Han army camp was already filled with fluttering banners, and the soldiers, clad in armor and armed, stood in neat formation, their morale soaring.
Xiao He stepped out of the main tent, looked at the well-organized military formation before him, a smile playing on his lips, and waved his hand, saying:
"All troops, move out!"
Ma Su stepped forward in response, then turned to face the entire army and loudly issued the order:
"All troops, advance towards Huyang!"
"Here!"
Thousands of soldiers responded in unison, their voices soaring into the sky.
Subsequently, the Han army marched in a mighty procession toward Huyang City, stretching for several miles.
At this moment, however, the scene inside Huyang City was quite different.
Deng Ai, dressed in armor, was patrolling back and forth, directing his soldiers to clear the post-battle ruins.
The traces of yesterday's battle have been completely erased after a night of intensive cleanup.
The city was cleared of all rubble and debris, creating a level open space to await the arrival of the main Han army.
A lieutenant rushed over and excitedly reported:
"Reporting to the general, the underground waterways within the city have been cleared, and the reservoirs have begun filling with water, ensuring drinking water for the entire army."
Deng Ai nodded slightly and said in a deep voice:
"Understood. Today, the Grand Marshal will personally lead the entire army to arrive. Quickly prepare a banquet to celebrate this achievement together once the army enters the city."
"Here!"
The deputy general accepted the order.
Deng Ai climbed the city wall. Last night, the soldiers worked through the night to repair it. Most of the damaged parts of the wall have been repaired, but there are still some gaps to be filled. It is still far from being fully completed.
Before long, the deputy general in charge of repairing the city wall rushed over.
How long will it take to complete the repairs to the city wall?
Deng Ai glanced at the wall and asked.
The lieutenant thought for a moment and replied:
"Reporting to the general, with all our efforts, the work can be completed within two hours."
"Speed up the work and make sure it's all repaired before Grand Marshal arrives; there can be no mistakes."
Deng Ai gave his instructions.
"Here!"
The deputy general responded and immediately turned to urge the soldiers to speed up.
Deng Ai then moved to the other side of the city wall, where the terrain was particularly crucial.
The city of Huyang is flanked by towering mountains and steep cliffs, forming a natural barrier that makes the city impregnable. Only the front and back gates are open for passage.
This city wall faces the direction of the Liao Kingdom and is a strategically important defensive location.
To prevent a surprise attack by the Liao army, Deng Ai had already dispatched a large number of troops to garrison this area.
He stood atop the city wall, gazing at the horizon in the direction of Liao, and thought to himself that once Xiao He arrived, the Han army would surely march straight towards Liao.
Only by conquering Liaodong and quelling the border troubles can everyone return to Han.
After carefully inspecting the city wall's defenses and confirming their strength, Deng Ai turned and left the city to return and coordinate subsequent matters...
now.
Dust billowed as Gongsun Yuan's reinforcements sped toward Huyang City, dozens of miles away.
Suddenly, a figure galloped up from ahead at great speed; it was the scout who had managed to escape from Huyang City to deliver the message.
The scouts' armor was damaged, indicating they had been fleeing without stopping.
Upon seeing Gongsun Yuan, the scout quickly pulled on the reins, causing the warhorse to rear up and then fall back to the ground.
He tumbled off his horse, staggered a few steps, and then knelt down and kowtowed.
"Your subordinate greets the Crown Prince."
Gongsun Yuan reined in his horse and stopped, his brows furrowed slightly, his tone tinged with impatience:
"Why did you rush here so quickly?"
"Hui Shizi..."
The scout kept his head down, his voice hesitant, as if he had something difficult to say.
"Speak quickly!"
Gongsun Yuan shouted sternly, and seeing the scout's appearance, a sense of foreboding rose in his heart.
The scout trembled, then knelt on the ground, kowtowing fearfully.
"Your Highness, Huyang City... has been captured by the Han army."
"what?!"
Gongsun Yuan's pupils constricted, his eyes widened in fury, and he roared fiercely with a ferocious expression:
Say it again!
The scout dared not raise his head, and repeated tremblingly:
"Your Highness, Huyang has fallen, the garrison has collapsed, and I only managed to escape and deliver the news after risking my life."
Upon hearing this, Gongsun Yuan trembled with rage, his eyes blazing with murderous intent.
But he managed to calm himself down, suppressing his surging anger in a moment, and said in an icy tone, "Get up first."
"Here."
The scout, feeling as if he had been granted a pardon, slowly rose, bowed his head, and stood aside, not daring to utter a sound.
Gongsun Yuan's gaze swept over him, and he asked in a deep voice:
"Did any other scouts report back to Xiangping about this?"
The scout quickly replied:
"Your Highness, only one of my men remains in Huyang City. The rest of my companions have either died in battle or been captured and have not been able to escape the city."
No sooner had he finished speaking than a cold glint flashed in Gongsun Yuan's eyes, and his sword was suddenly drawn from its sheath. A flash of cold light, and the scout's body was severed from his head.
Upon seeing this, the deputy general Xu Kuan beside him changed his expression drastically and subconsciously took a half step back.
"Your Highness, what is the purpose of this action?"
Xu Kuanqiang suppressed his shock and asked with his hands clasped in a gesture of doubt.
Gongsun Yuan sheathed his sword, wiped the blood from the blade with a cloth, and coldly looked at Xu Kuan, asking in return:
"What do you think would be the consequences if he were to relay the news of Huyang's fall back to Xiangping?"
Xu Kuan felt a chill run down his spine and instantly understood.
After a moment of contemplation, he said in a low voice:
"If the news gets back and we are ordered to rush to the aid but fail to arrive in time, resulting in the fall of the city, we will surely be severely punished by the King."
After all, they were ordered to rush to Huyang to provide support, but now the city has fallen and the reinforcements are still halfway there, so they cannot escape their responsibility.
Gongsun Yuan nodded and said sternly:
"Given the current situation, only by recapturing Huyang City can we atone for our mistakes and absolve ourselves of guilt."
"Your Highness, what should we do now?"
Xu Kuan looked up at Gongsun Yuan, awaiting instructions.
"The entire army must accelerate its advance!"
Gongsun Yuan turned his horse around and loudly gave the order:
"We must reach the outskirts of Huyang City by tomorrow!"
With the order given, the reinforcements sped up again.
Gongsun Yuan's face was gloomy, his heart filled with both anger and deep-seated fear.
He knew that if this matter were to reach Xiangping, his father, Gongsun Kang, would surely punish him severely, at best stripping him of his power, and at worst holding him accountable.
The only way to resolve this crisis is to reclaim Huyang.
Even if Gongsun Kang holds him accountable afterward, he can offset the crime of delay with the merit of capturing the city.
But he also understood that retaking Huyang City would be no easy task.
Huyang City is strategically located, easy to defend and difficult to attack. The Han army must have paid a price to break through the city in one fell swoop, but its fighting strength should not be underestimated.
However, upon further reflection, the Han army had only recently captured the city and was certainly not yet fully prepared for a proper rest or complete control of the city. If they were to launch a surprise attack at this opportune moment, they might have a chance of victory.
With this thought in mind, Gongsun Yuan felt a surge of hope.
He turned to look at Xu Kuan beside him and said in a deep voice:
"General Xu, once the army arrives outside Huyang City, there is no need to rest; immediately order an attack on the city."
Xu Kuan looked incredulous and quickly tried to dissuade him:
"Your Highness, the army has been rushing through the night, and the soldiers are already exhausted. If we don't rest for a while, I'm afraid we won't have the strength to attack the city!"
"Resting?"
Gongsun Yuan sneered and said unhappily:
"The Han army has just occupied Huyang, and their position is not yet secure. If we do not attack now, and wait until they have completely controlled the city and set up their defenses, will we still have any chance of winning?"
Xu Kuan pondered for a moment and felt that Gongsun Yuan's words made sense; now was indeed the only opportunity.
So, he could only change his mind and nod emphatically:
"Yes, Your subordinate obeys."
Upon hearing that the city was to be attacked immediately, the generals beside him all tensed up and their faces turned solemn.
Gongsun Yuan's generals and soldiers all knew that if this raid on Huyang failed, the Han army would be waiting in the city ahead, and there would be no reinforcements to come to their aid. They would be in a dead end with no way to advance or retreat.
No one dared to slacken their efforts; everyone racked their brains to devise a strategy to attack the city, hoping to recapture Huyang City in the shortest possible time and resolve the current crisis…
At this time, Huyang City was in good order.
Deng Ai had already led several of his generals to stand beneath the city gate, awaiting the arrival of Xiao He's army.
Seeing the Han army's banners fluttering in the distance, amidst a cloud of dust, Deng Ai immediately bowed in salute.
"This humble general, Deng Ai, greets the Grand Marshal."
Xiao He dismounted, reached out a hand to help him up, and said approvingly:
"Shi Zai, you've worked hard. The battle of Huyang owes a lot to you."
Deng Ai bowed his head humbly and said, "This humble general has not suffered any hardship. Serving the Grand Marshal and charging into battle for the Han Dynasty is simply this humble general's duty."
Xiao He laughed loudly and patted him on the shoulder:
"Shi Zai's command in this battle was excellent, and he has made great contributions. He will be richly rewarded when he returns."
"Thank you for your kindness, Grand Marshal."
Deng Ai bowed in thanks, then stepped aside to lead the way:
"Grand Marshal, generals, please follow me into the city."
After saying that, he led Xiao He and the others on horseback into the city.
The group walked through the neat streets and alleys and arrived at the heart of the city, where a wide and flat open space came into view.
The rubble had been cleared and the weeds removed; this was precisely the campsite that Deng Ai had prepared in advance for the main force of the Han army. Xiao He surveyed the area, nodded in satisfaction, and turned to the general beside him to give the order:
"Pass down the order: the entire army shall set up camp here for rest and recuperation. Tonight, a banquet will be held to reward the soldiers."
"Here!"
The generals accepted the order.
Soon, the sounds of soldiers busily setting up tents filled the camp.
Before long, the victory celebration banquet was set up outside the main camp tent.
Xiao He sat in the main seat, with Ma Su and Fei Yi on the left and right sides respectively, while Deng Ai and Gan Ning sat opposite the main seat. The other generals were seated in order of rank.
After everyone was seated, Xiao He personally raised his wine cup, his gaze sweeping over Deng Ai and Gan Ning:
"This first cup of wine is to toast our two meritorious officials. Thank you both for capturing the strategically important Huyang for the Han Dynasty!"
Deng Ai and Gan Ning quickly stood up, raised their glasses, and thanked them in unison:
"I dare not accept such praise. It is all thanks to the Grand Marshal's command and the soldiers' bravery."
After saying that, the two tilted their heads back and drank the wine in one gulp.
Xiao He filled his second glass with wine and raised it high above his head:
"This second cup is to all the brave warriors of my Han Dynasty who fought valiantly. May our Han Dynasty's mountains and rivers be forever secure!"
"Homage to the mighty warriors of the Han Dynasty!"
Everyone inside the tent responded in unison, raising their cups and drinking them down.
After a few drinks, everyone relaxed and began to talk about the war or discuss the current situation, creating a lively atmosphere.
At this moment, several geisha dressed in light robes entered the camp and danced gracefully to the melodious music.
The soldiers outside the tent also laid out wine and meat, drinking and watching the dances. The fatigue from the days of fighting disappeared at this moment, and they were very happy.
The celebration banquet gradually ended when the moon was high in the sky.
Everyone returned to their camps to rest and recuperate, preparing for the next battle...
The next day, at the crack of dawn, Xiao He ordered all the generals to gather at the main tent for a meeting.
The atmosphere inside the tent was heavy. The generals stood on both sides, waiting quietly for Xiao He to speak.
Xiao He sat upright in the main seat, his gaze sweeping over everyone, and slowly said:
"Now that Huyang has been successfully captured, does anyone have any ideas regarding the subsequent strategy?"
Ma Su immediately stood up, cupped his hands, and proposed:
"I believe that our army should rest in Huyang for a few days and hold back for the time being, observe the Liao army's response before making any plans."
Fei Yi immediately stepped forward to second the motion:
"Your subordinate agrees with Youchang's words. Our army has captured several cities in just a few days and is at the height of its power. Logically speaking, the Liao army should retaliate."
"But there is no movement in Liaodong right now. This silence is very strange. We should not advance rashly."
He paused, then added:
"I believe it is more prudent to observe the Liao army's actions first and then formulate a follow-up strategy."
Xiao He remained silent upon hearing this, lowering his head and stroking his beard in thought, and the tent fell into silence for a moment.
After a moment, he raised his head and spoke, his tone resolute:
"In that case, issue the order for the entire army to rest and reorganize within the city and observe the situation."
"Then, Grand Marshal, shall we rest for a few days?"
Ma Su pressed for an answer.
Before the words were finished, soldiers rushed in from outside the tent, shouting:
"Reporting to the Grand Marshal, the scouts at the front have sent back news!"
A knowing glint flashed in Xiao He's eyes, a faint smile playing on his lips, and he waved his hand:
"Come in and give your answer."
The guards entered the tent and reported:
"Reporting to the Grand Marshal, our scouts have discovered that Gongsun Yuan is leading 30,000 Liao troops toward Huyang. At the Liao army's marching speed, they should arrive at the city walls tomorrow."
Xiao He waved his hand, signaling the soldiers to retreat.
Then, he looked up at the generals in the tent and asked:
"Gentlemen, the Liao army has arrived. Does anyone have a strategy to defeat them?" (End of Chapter)